Alliance goes Jesuit on railway safety

This from Network Rail...

Children in primary schools across the south and south west of England are to take the lead in educating classmates about staying safe on the railway.

The Network Rail and South West Trains Alliance is launching the railway safety reps programme across the route which runs from London Waterloo out to the south coast and south west England.

Primary schools will nominate children to learn about how to stay safe when using level crossings and the dangers of trespassing on the railway and will then share their new knowledge with their friends.

The programme will complement Network Rail’s ongoing safety campaigns and continued efforts to improve safety and reduce the number of incidents involving children and young people.

Eye missed this when it was released last Wednesday but, in light of ASLEF's comments the day before, well worth a mention.

V. Good. Tick.

Tamar Bridge - 'Please mind the crap'

This from Construction Enquirer...

Workers repairing Brunel’s twin span bridge in Plymouth have called on train passengers to resist the call of nature as they pass over the historic structure.

One passenger told the Enquirer: “The guard made a special announcement on the train’s tannoy as we came up to the Tamar River valley... I suppose it’s a polite way of saying please mind the crap.”

It's the 21st Century and still we continue to pour raw effluent onto the tracks!

New NR campaign warns of on-track danger

Dai Greene, the world 400m hurdles champion, fails to beat an 80mph train. 

That is all.

Wheels of fire

Good to see that the 'sparks effect' has reached South Devon.



Those who say that driving is now a "semi-skilled" operation may just have a point.

UPDATE: This from the 'The International Rantiquarian'...

I see the Fact Compiler is taking an interest in wheel rail interface deficiencies.

He has always been blessed with a fine technical mind (shome mishtake, shurely. Ed).

Here are a couple more from the Golden Age of Steam (i.e after it evolved into theatrical traction/nostalgic toy)

1. Blue Peter becomes, er, broken.

IC Special Trains Unit coughed up £37,000 compensation to the engine's owners (in the STU's last year of trading before becoming Waterman Railways and then just a memory), after the Knight of The Iron Road broke his mighty steed and all the outside motion flew off.



2. And proof that privatisation hasn't helped much in the footplate professionalism stakes.

Ian Riley's 76xxx pocket rocket is helped by Light Pacific Tangmere to look utterly foolish in Devon. The drivers were from Merlin and EWS respectively and dismally failed to reach any sort of understanding, clear or otherwise, when they left St Davids for their trip almost to Central.



Spookily, given the legend that Ye Olde Steam Men used to drive by the seat of their pants, BOTH incidents saw the drivers attempting to restart their ruined machines as if nothing had happened.

Perhaps their bottoms were numb with excitement?

Crikey!

Screwed

There are dangers in believing that old canard about the 'earth moving' during passion.

As this South African couple quickly discovered.

Was it the Jubilee line extension that claimed it went faster, deeper, longer?